An exploration of pizza in and around Rochester, NY, one pizzeria at a time

Friday, February 26, 2010

Piatza's, Park Ave.

After I gave a pretty bad (D+) review to the Piatza’s on Crittenden Road, a reader commented that the Park Avenue Piatza’s pizza was quite different from what I’d described. Later, another reader asked if I could check out the Park Ave. location now that it’s moved from the southeast to the northeast corner of Park and Oxford, in the space formerly occupied by KC Tea & Noodle. So I stopped by a while back to get a slice.And Piatza’s, by the way, is a true slice joint - I’m guessing a lot of their business comes from selling their “14" Mega Slice,” which goes for about $4. So unlike some places where I think you really need to order a whole pie to get a true picture of what their pizza is like, Piatza’s is very much about slices.My slice (the 14" refers to the length along the side, i.e., the radius of the pie) was thin to medium in thickness, with a dark brown underside. It had been screen baked, was not greasy underneath, and had some exterior crispness, but it was a tad gummy where the sauce met the crust. The dough had visibly risen somewhat, and had a certain bready airiness to it.The sauce was moderately applied, and had a flavor that struck a balance between tomatoey and herbal. The cheese was also applied moderately, and in good balance with the other components. The cup 'n' char pepperoni was spicy and crisp.Having worked my way through the full length of the slice, I reached the outer edge, which was formed into a thick lip. It was nicely browned, with a bready flavor and texture, and I found it enjoyable.All four Piatza’s - Park Ave., Brighton/Henrietta (Crittenden), Fairport and Macedon - share the same menu, with many pizza varieties, as well as wings, burgers and hots, hot and cold subs, pasta, fish fry (every day), and “plates.” The Park Ave. location has some seating.This slice was better than the one I had at the Crittenden Piatza’s; it was kind of like an improved version of that slice. For a “big slice” place - which often emphasize quantity over quality - it wasn’t bad at all. I’d still rather have the option of a smaller slice for, say, $2.50, but, that aside, it was pretty well balanced, and the flavor was good. Unlike the slice I got at Crittenden, this wasn’t greasy underneath, and the crust wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. That uniform, medium-brown underside usually means a dull sort of flavor, a lack of great character to the crust, and that was true here. But while that may be holding this back from being truly outstanding pizza, it certainly didn’t ruin it, and I’d say that this was just a bit above average, so I’ll give it a B-.Piatza's, 360 Park Ave., 271-4950Sun. - Thu. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Ratings Guide

A: great; one of the best this area has to offerB: pretty good; not top-notch, but definitely good, and better than averageC: OK; nothing special, but it’ll do; typical for our areaD: edible; if you’ve already paid for it, you might as well eat itF: downright bad; toss it and get something else